Wintertime is upon us, and it is imperative whether you own a business or a home to ensure that your driveways and other areas, such as sidewalks and steps, are free of ice or snow. This is because ice and snow are notorious for causing people to slip and fall and possibly be seriously injured.
When it comes to removing snow and ice from your driveway, sidewalks, patios, porches, or other areas, there are many different ways to get the job done.
Safe Shoveling
According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, there are more than 11,000 injuries treated in emergency departments each year due to snow shoveling. This means you will want to take any necessary steps to avoid becoming part of this statistic.
Snow shoveling can be very strenuous work and hard on your back as well as your arm and leg muscles. People who’ve experienced cardiac issues in the past should not even attempt to shovel snow because it is so strenuous. There are several things you can do, though, to make shoveling snow much safer.
In today’s market, there are many ergonomic snow shovels that you can choose from. A good snow shovel will not make shoveling your driveway any easier, but it will allow you to save your muscles from being overworked. Once you have a good snow shovel in your hands, it is best to shovel after every few inches of snow falls instead of waiting until the snow is done falling. This will make it much easier for you to shovel the snow and it will not be as heavy to move.
You should also shovel your driveway in two different stages. You can first push the snow to the edges with a push shovel, then use a different kind of shovel, preferably an ergonomic shovel, to shovel the rest of the snow off of your driveway, sidewalk, or other areas. You can even purchase versatile shovels that you can use to do both steps.
Blow the Snow Away
Not everyone has a snow blower, but if you do, here are a few tips on how to use it in the best way possible. For one thing, you do not want to go too slow, or you won’t get enough distance between you and the arc of blowing snow. If you speed up too much, the snow could end up coming out of the side area of your snow blower, causing snow to go right back onto your driveway or walkway. You will need to play around with your particular snow blower to see what speed works best.
You’ll have to move around with your snow blower according to the way your property is laid out. This is because you don’t want to blow snow on top of areas you’ve already cleared out. You should have clearance on both sides of your snow blower, then start in the middle and allow the snow to blow to one edge of your driveway. You can then make a U-turn to go back down the other side. If you keep alternating from one side to the other, you should have a clear driveway when you are finished.
Cooking Spray is Not Just for Cooking
Snow shoveling is difficult enough and it is even harder when the snow is very wet and heavy. To make the process of removing heavy snow a little easier, you can spray some cooking spray onto your shovel. This will help you move through the snow much faster while preventing the snow from sticking to your shovel.
Create a Snow Removal Schedule
When the snow is coming down for hours at a time, it is best to schedule when you will go out to shovel or blow the snow from your driveway and walkways. It is not good to wait until all the snow stops falling before you go out to remove it from your driveway. You should schedule to shovel every one to two hours, depending on how long the snowfall is scheduled to last.
Cover it in Sand
If you need more traction on your sidewalks or driveways, you can spread a little sand or kitty litter over the areas where you will be attempting to walk around. The rough texture will provide the traction you need to keep yourself from sliding and possibly falling down and becoming injured.
Do-It-Yourself Ice Melt
If you happen to be caught in a snow or ice storm inside your house but later, need to leave, you will definitely want to throw some rock salt or ice melt down on your porch, steps, sidewalks, and driveway areas. If you do not happen to have either one of these on hand, you can make your own with simple household ingredients. Just combine about a teaspoon of dish soap with one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol and a half a gallon of water in a bucket to create your own mixture that you can pour over the areas that need it.
Call in the Professionals
While you can use the snow removal hacks above when you are in a pinch, the easiest and best way to remove snow and ice from your driveway, sidewalks, and other areas is to call in a professional snow removal service company like Imperial Power Washing. The snow removal experts at Imperial Power Washing Exterior Cleaning and Restoration are available to assist you with all of your snow removal needs. Call for an appointment today to set up snow removal service so you can relax this winter and allow the professionals to get the job done right!
